Department for Transport

Tolls: Greater London

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the Mayor of London about the effect of the changes to the level and scope of the Congestion Charge on (1) businesses, (2) theatres, (3) cinemas, and (4) galleries, within the Congestion Charge zone; and whatwas the outcome of any such representations.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The Government has agreed a funding package to enable Transport for London to continue operating vital services for essential journeys in London through the Covid-19 outbreak. As part of the package the Mayor of London agreed to reinstate the Congestion Charge and other air quality and congestion measures in London. Transport for London reviewed the Congestion Charge and the decision to temporarily raise the charge and extend the hours of operation in June was taken by the Mayor of London.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Aerospace Industry: Employment

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussionsthey have had about the level of support required to retain jobs in the aerospace industry in the UK.

Lord Callanan: We are working closely with the UK’s aerospace industry, including at sector level through the Aerospace Growth Partnership, to help retain jobs and return the sector to growth as soon as possible. The UK’s aerospace industry has been able to draw on the Government’s extensive Covid-19 business support measures, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme. The Government is also providing the UK aerospace industry and its aviation customers with over £8.5 billion of support through the Coronavirus Corporate Financing Facility, research and development grants, loan guarantees, and support for exports.

Environment Protection: Investment

Lord Berkeley: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the answer byBaroness Penn on 2 September (HL Deb, col 344),how much investmentthey have made in the last year in green industries which contribute to achieving the zero carbon target; and what is the comparable figure for their investment in industries that do not contribute to the zero carbon target.

Lord Callanan: In 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to legislate to end its contribution to global warming by 2050 by reaching net zero emissions. This year, the Government has set out billions in support for our low-carbon economy. We are taking action in every sector including: over £3 billion to transform energy efficiency in homes and public buildings; £2 billion to kickstart a cycling and walking revolution; £1 billion support for ultra-low emission vehicles; £800 million to capture carbon from power stations and industry; a £640 million Nature Climate Fund; £350 million to cut emissions in heavy industry; and £100 million to research and develop Direct Air Capture technologies. The transition to a low carbon economy constitutes one of the most significant challenges and opportunities for the UK and the world over the coming decades. In March, we published the first phase of our transport decarbonisation plan and will be setting our further plans over the coming months for other sectors of the economy including on energy, heat and buildings and the natural environment. Our forthcoming sector strategies, and wider plans to deliver a green economic recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic, will contain further proposals to put us on track to meeting our carbon reduction obligations which are among the most ambitious in the world

Tourism: Greater London

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the change to the daily number of people visiting central London since 22 June.

Lord Callanan: This Government is working hard to support places as they recover from the impact of Covid-19. The first week of September has seen footfall increase on UK high streets by 2.6 percent, and between 22 June 2020 and 8 September 2020, retail footfall in Greater London has increased by 20 percentage points (source: Springboard). There is also a daily publication of transport data relating to London available on gov.uk. This shows that on the 22 June tube and bus use was at 16% and 34% respectively when compared to previous years whilst on the 9 September tube use had increased 34% and bus to 58%[1]. We continue to work with a range of businesses, stakeholders and the Mayor to support central London’s economic recovery. [1] https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/transport-use-during-the-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic

Accounting Standards Board

Baroness Bowles of Berkhamsted: To ask Her Majesty's Government why UK accounting standard FRS102 states that copyright of the standard remains with the International Accounting Standards Board; andwhether they plan to place a copy of any contractual agreement with that Board, including sums required to be paid, in the library of the House.

Lord Callanan: The front cover of UK accounting standard FRS 102 states that copyright in FRS 102 belongs to the Financial Reporting Council. The document also states that the standard contains material in which the IFRS Foundation holds copyright, and which has been reproduced with its permission. The license agreement between the Government and the IFRS Foundation has not been finalised and we are not able to comment further on the content of the agreement.

Manufacturing Industries: Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent skills losses in the manufacturing industry when the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme ends.

Lord Callanan: As at 16th August 2020, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has helped 74,800 manufacturing employers across the UK to furlough just over 1 million jobs, protecting people’s livelihoods. As we re-open the economy, it is right that our focus shifts to getting furloughed employees back to work. Throughout the Covid-19 outbreak, we have engaged closely with the UK’s manufacturing sectors and their input has helped to shape the Government’s response. This engagement includes a series of recovery roundtables, chaired by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, bringing together businesses, business representative groups (including Make UK), and leading academics. Participants discussed the potential measures needed to support economic recovery and to ensure we have the right skills in place to meet the needs of the manufacturing industry over the next 18 months. This builds on the Government’s commitment to invest in manufacturing research and developmetn and innovation. For example, we are investing up to £1 billion of additional funding to develop and embed the next generation of cutting-edge automotive technologies through the Automotive Transformation Fund, as well as £1.9 billion up to 2026 for the Aerospace Technology Research programme, helping to secure future jobs in these strategically important sectors.

Northern Ireland Office

Ports: Northern Ireland

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the infrastructure that will be required at ports in Northern Ireland under the Northern Ireland Protocolcontained in theUK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: There will be no new customs infrastructure in Northern Ireland. These rules will be administered by the UK authorities, who can exercise their discretion on when goods need to be checked. We have always been clear that some process will be required on goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain. Our proposals reduce this to the absolute minimum so that the integrity and smooth functioning of the UK internal market is protected. This includes, in order to respect the pre-existing status of the island of Ireland as a single epidemiological unit, some checks to help movements of live animals and agrifood from Great Britain into Northern Ireland. Processes such as these already happen at existing facilities at ports like Belfast and Larne. And we are continuing to work with NI businesses and the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure new administrative procedures at all points of entry are streamlined and do not affect the flow of trade. The Protocol obliges both the UK and EU to seek to streamline trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and to avoid controls at Northern Ireland ports as far as possible. In line with that obligation, discussions with the EU are ongoing about the process by which controls are conducted, and their frequency, in line with the approach we set out in our May Command Paper.

Brexit: Northern Ireland

Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the UK’s approach to implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol contained UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement.

Viscount Younger of Leckie: The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and Minister of State both engage regularly with representatives from across the Northern Ireland Executive, as do ministers from across Government. This includes via meetings of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint and Specialised Committees, as committed to in the New Decade, New Approach deal, as well as meetings of the Business Engagement Forum which was committed to in the Command Paper of 20 May.

Department for Education

GCSE: Assessments

Baroness Coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage and support entrants to GCSE examinations in community languages for the 2020/2021 academic year.

Baroness Berridge: All pupils should have the opportunity to study foreign languages as part of a core academic curriculum and this should include community languages. The department recognises the importance of high quality qualifications in languages such as Polish, Urdu, Arabic, Bengali and Turkish.At key stage 4, languages, including community languages, are included in the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). Since the introduction of the EBacc performance measure in 2010, the proportion of GCSE entries from pupils in state funded schools in a modern foreign language (MFL) has increased from 40 per cent in 2010 to 47 per cent in 2019.As with any other GCSE subject, the department expects schools to provide appropriate support to pupils to prepare them for examinations. In relation to the 2020/21 academic year, the department’s guidance to schools reopening from September states that the curriculum should remain broad from year 7 to year 9 so that the majority of pupils are taught a full range of subjects over the year, including sciences, languages, humanities, the arts, physical education/sport, religious education and relationships, sex and health education. The guidance also sets out an expectation that the majority of year 10 and year 11 pupils continue to study their examination subjects, supporting them towards their preferred route to further study. The full opening of schools guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/actions-for-schools-during-the-coronavirus-outbreak/guidance-for-full-opening-schools. The department has invested in a range of programmes to increase uptake of languages at GCSE. The £2.41 million MFL Pedagogy Pilot commenced in December 2018 and is designed to improve uptake and attainment in languages at key stages 3 and 4.

Education: Technology

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage the use of educational technology.

Baroness Berridge: Technology holds enormous potential to amplify good teaching practices, reduce workload and accelerate outcomes for children and young people. Technology should enhance, and not simply replace, existing practice which is why the department published 'Realising the potential of technology in education: A strategy for education providers and the technology sector' in April 2019.Additional funding has been set aside to progress effective and meaningful uptake of EdTech in schools and colleges by improving research and innovation on the ways in which technology can make an impact on pupil attainment and teacher workload, stimulating a UK EdTech sector to provide proven and high quality products that meets the needs of teachers and leaders and strengthening the digital infrastructure in schools and colleges. Underpinning this approach is an offer of enhanced professional development, to ensure school and college leaders are not only equipped to make effective procurement decisions, but also have the right capabilities to use the technology available to them effectively.The department has delivered over 220,000 laptops and tablets and over 50,000 4G wireless routers to local authorities and academy trusts for children who would not otherwise have access, as part of over £100 million invested to support remote education and access to online social care while schools were closed to the majority of pupils. This investment also includes working with the major telecommunications companies and mobile network operators to improve internet connectivity for disadvantaged and vulnerable families through access to BT Wi-Fi hotspots for children and young people, an offer currently being piloted which will be rolled out across England in the coming months. The department has also been working with Google and Microsoft to build the Platform Provisioning programme that gives schools a safe online platform to manage and deliver education.To ensure schools, colleges and their students can capitalise on this investment, the department also launched the EdTech Demonstrator Programme, a peer to peer professional development offer led by educators skilled in their use of EdTech.

Schools: Contracts

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial implications for schools in which catering and support staff are employed on contracts that do not provide Statutory Sick Pay.

Baroness Berridge: The government has provided guidance on Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for all employers, which includes specific information on when your employee is off work because of COVID-19. The guidance is available at: https://www.gov.uk/employers-sick-pay.SSP entitlement is dependent on an individual’s employment status and their contract with their employer. Employees who are directly employed by schools are entitled to SSP if they have an employment contract which they have performed some work under and they have been sick for 4 or more days in a row (including non-working days). Employees must also earn an average of at least £120 per week, give their employers correct notice and provide proof of their illness after 7 or more days off to qualify for SSP.The sick pay arrangements for staff supplied to schools under external contract are dependent on the precise nature of the agreement between those individuals and the organisation providing those services.

Universities

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to invite representatives of the National Union of Students and the University and College Union to join thetaskforce on university capacity; and if so, when they plan to issue such invitations.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The taskforce was established with the aim of taking quick decisions on the higher education (HE) admissions and acceptance process to ensure that students had the support and clarity they deserved at a time of change and uncertainty. We therefore prioritised bringing together the representatives of the sector best placed to make quick decisions, including the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service and a wide range of university mission groups representing the Vice Chancellors of a broad range of HE providers.Throughout the COVID-19 outbreak, we have engaged with the National Union of Students and the University and College Union at an official and ministerial level in order to ensure the government understands and is able to respond to issues currently affecting students and staff. We plan to continue this engagement as students and staff return to universities over the coming weeks.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

UN Security Council: Powers

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to lead the initiative at the UN General Assembly to request an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legality of the veto power, where the exercise of the veto by one of the permanent five members of the UN Security Council would have the effect of (1) facilitating continuing violations of peremptory norms in international law, (2) undermining the duty of other UN Security Council members in responding to serious crimes, or (3) is inconsistent with protections that are fundamental to international law.

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have takenin response to the proposals to block veto powers of the permanent members of the UN Security Council in cases of (1) genocide, and (2) other international crimes.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK supports international criminal justice, and accountability is a fundamental element of our foreign policy. As a signatory of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency Group's Code of Conduct declaration, the UK has committed to not vote against a credible draft resolution on timely and decisive action to end, or prevent, the commission of genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. When there is a lack of political agreement in the UN Security Council, we will continue to consider alternative action elsewhere in the UN including the General Assembly and Human Rights Council.We are open to the idea of reforming the working practices of the UN Security Council as long as it does not reduce its capacity to address threats to international peace and security. We are sceptical that the way to achieve this reform is through asking the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion, which would in any event, be non-binding. We consider the best approach is to continue to pursue dialogue with the rest of the five permanent members to ensure that the veto is not used to stop credible efforts to end mass atrocities. We will also continue to work with other members of the Security Council to ensure that credible draft resolutions are supported by at least nine members, even where a veto is unlikely, to ensure that they are adopted.

Developing Countries: Family Planning

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assistance they provide to developing countries for family planning services.

Baroness Sugg: The UK is a global leader on family planning and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR). The UK is a founding member of the FP2020 partnership, established at the 2012 London Summit on Family Planning to support governments in developing countries to make and deliver on commitments to family planning. We accelerated progress towards these goals at the 2017 London Family Planning Summit and we are now working closely with the global community to shape the post-2020 family planning partnership.The UK is the second largest bilateral donor to family planning; this assistance is delivered through a range of programmes, including our flagship SRHR programme 'WISH' and as the largest donor to UNFPA Supplies. In 2017/18 alone, the UK spent £241.5 million of UK aid on family planning, reaching 30.9m total users of contraception, preventing 10.7 million unintended pregnancies. .

Developing Countries: Family Planning and Genito-urinary Medicine

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to maintain the current level of real terms official development assistance spending on (1) sexual and reproductive health, and (2) family planning, regardless of any reductions to official development assistance budgets caused by any reduction in Gross National Income.

Baroness Sugg: The UK Government is committed to advancing and defending comprehensive sexual and reproductive health and rights and will continue to be a progressive voice on this issue to give women in developing countries the reproductive health choices they want and need. In 2017/18 alone, the UK spent £241.5 million of UK aid on family planning, reaching 30.9m total users of contraception, preventing 10.7 million unintended pregnancies.Decisions on future spend will be informed by the outcomes of the integrated and spending reviews.

Cyprus: France

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the government of France’s stationing of military aircraft in Cyprus, and (2) whether any such action is in violation of the responsibilities of the governments of Greece, Turkey and the UK under the Treaty of Guarantee.

Baroness Sugg: The UK's principal responsibility under the Treaty of Guarantee is to recognise and guarantee the independence, territorial integrity and security of the Republic of Cyprus. Military cooperation between France and the Republic of Cyprus is a matter for their respective governments and the stationing of military aircraft by France in the Republic of Cyprus does not violate the UK's responsibilities under the Treaty of Guarantee.

World Food Programme

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many peoplethey estimate are beneficiaries of UK contributions to World Food Programme projects; what assessment they have made of the impact of thereduction inglobal economieson those programmes; and what assessment they have made of the likelihood that current contribution levels will be maintained.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: UK contributions constitute 8.7% of the overall contributions and proportionally, UK has supported 7.5 million people (in 2019).World Food Programme (WFP) is raising awareness on the secondary impacts and economic implications of COVID-19, likely to result in a massive reduction of vulnerable households' purchasing power, compromising their access to food.So far WFP has not seen any reduction in contributions due to COVID-19. Their global forecast for 2020 remains at 7.7 billion USD, down just slightly from the 8 billion in USD received in 2019. If there is an impact, it might be seen in 2021. As of 30 August 2020, the UK was the third largest Government donor to the WFP, with total contributions of 274.5 million USD.The UK will be making further contributions to WFP during the remainder of the year, with these decisions being taken in consideration of country needs and available resources. The appointment of the UK famine envoy is a further sign of our commitment to preventing famine and eradicating hunger and we will work closely with WFP to ensure that the organisation receives the financial support needed to tackle the current and future challenge.

Gaza: Coronavirus

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to support people living in Gaza during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government remains deeply concerned by the situation in Gaza. Our recent £840,000 funding contribution has enabled the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF to purchase and co-ordinate the delivery of medical equipment, treat critical care patients, train frontline public health personnel and scale up laboratory testing capacity. The Foreign Secretary also recently announced a further £2.7 million funding to UN agencies to provide food assistance, medical supplies and personal protection for the most vulnerable Palestinians.

Lebanon: Overseas Aid

Lord Risby: To ask Her Majesty's Government what aid they have provided to Lebanon following the explosion in Beirut on 4 August.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: In response to the Beirut Port explosion on 4 August 2020, the UK announced a £25 million package of humanitarian assistance to help support Lebanon in its time of urgent need. This makes us one of the biggest international donors to the crisis.Of this assistance, £20 million is allocated to the UN World Food Programme in Lebanon and will go directly to help vulnerable families by covering their essential survival needs, and will provide support for cash, vouchers, or in-kind support. £3 million will go to the British Red Cross for emergency support to respond to the explosion.We rapidly deployed UK experts to Beirut to advise and assist with the response and undertake longer term planning. This has included:Specialist medics from the UK's Emergency Medical Team to assess health needs on the ground;Humanitarian, logistics and military experts supporting the rapid assessment of damaged critical infrastructure, working with other humanitarian partners to scope needs;Specialist teams and equipment on HMS Enterprise to assess the damage to the port - which is a lifeline for Lebanon and for aid transported to neighbouring countries including Syria.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about reports of violence by border police towards workers from Palestine with permits seeking to enter Israel to reach their place of employment.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK has repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces police the border areas. We will continue to do so.

Gaza: Energy and Water

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they plan to take following reports that families living in Gaza are living in conditions which are (1) unsafe, and (2) at imminent risk of fire, due to a reported lack of (a) safe means of energy, and (b) water.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are deeply concerned by the situation in Gaza. Officials from our Embassy in Tel Aviv and our Consulate-General in Jerusalem frequently urge the Israeli and Palestinian authorities to take steps to improve conditions for ordinary Palestinians in Gaza. We are a leading donor to United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and our economic development programme aims to lift the overall standard of those living in Gaza by increasing trade and job creation, enabling greater movement and access for people and goods, and enhancing the supply of electricity and clean water.

Khairi Hanoun

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel about the treatment of Khairi Hanoun.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Whilst we have not made representations on this particular incident, we have repeatedly made clear to Israel our longstanding concerns about the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces police non-violent protests. We encourage them to deploy security measures which minimises tension and use appropriate force. In instances where there have been accusations of excessive use of force, we have advocated swift, transparent investigations.

China: Uighurs

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the statement signed by 76 faith leaders calling for action in response to alleged atrocities against Uyghurs over the past three years in Xinjiang; and what plans they have to set up an impartial investigation into those allegations.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We are aware of the joint statement from faith leaders about Xinjiang. The evidence on the range and extent of human rights violations in Xinjiang is well-established, including evidence from the Chinese authorities' own publicly-available government documents and satellite imagery. The UN has made clear recommendations to China, including to release those arbitrarily detained in camps. We have repeatedly called on China to urgently implement those recommendations and to allow unfettered access to the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UN experts.

Hong Kong: Arrests

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government, what consular assistance they are able to provide to those who have been arrested, or are in fear of arrest, in Hong Kong.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The consular assistance we provide to British nationals in Hong Kong, as elsewhere, is set out in our publicly-available guide entitled 'Support for British Nationals Abroad'. We also publish information on Gov.uk which explains the legal and prison system to British nationals who are imprisoned in Hong Kong.

Cameroon: Internally Displaced People and Refugees

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what humanitarian assistancethey have provided to address the needs of the those displaced by conflict in Cameroon both internally and into Nigeria and other countries; and what steps they have taken to support civil society organisations working in both Anglophone and Francophone Cameroon to promote conflict resolution in that country.

Baroness Sugg: The UK Government is deeply concerned about the situation in the North-West and South-West (Anglophone) regions of Cameroon. These regions are suffering from high levels of violence, which has driven almost 740,000 people from their homes.The UK is committed to supporting civilians affected by the conflict. On 9 September, the Minister for Africa announced that the UK will contribute an additional £4.5 million towards humanitarian efforts in Cameroon, including in the North-West and South-West regions. This brings the UK's humanitarian support to crisis-affected populations in Cameroon in 2020 to £13.5 million, including £2.2 million for COVID-19 support. The new package of funding will provide tens of thousands of vulnerable Cameroonians with vital food packs and sanitation provisions. It will also provide nine health facilities across Cameroon with medical supplies and the training of essential health workers, and support vaccination campaigns to prevent the spread of disease.Through the British High Commission in Yaoundé we are also supporting local partners in Cameroon to promote conflict resolution and the resumption of children's education in the North-West and South-West regions. Inclusive dialogue remains vital to ensure a just, peaceful and durable resolution to the crisis. We have shared experiences of conflict resolution with the Government of Cameroon, and remain ready to support all credible peacebuilding initiatives.

Cameroon: Peace Negotiations

Lord Boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role of the Commonwealth in promoting peace and reconciliation between the Anglophone and Francophone Communities in Cameroon; and what discussions have taken place (1) within the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, and (2) with the government of Cameroon, on that issue.

Baroness Sugg: The UK Government is deeply concerned about the situation in the North-West and South-West regions of Cameroon, which is affecting both Anglophone and Francophone communities. We welcomed the joint visit to Cameroon in November 2019 by the Commonwealth Secretary General, the Secretary-General of the International Organisation of La Francophonie and the Chairperson of the African Union Commission. They met the President of Cameroon and a range of political and civil society actors and encouraged peacebuilding and national cohesion. As we set out at the UN Security Council on 8 September, the UK continues to encourage international partners and multilateral organisations, including the Commonwealth, to support efforts to end violence and restore peace in the affected regions.While the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) is a confidential forum, the Commonwealth Secretary General typically provides members with updates on engagement in Commonwealth member states. CMAG provides a space for sensitive discussions, which in turn facilitate discreet engagement. On that principle, we are not able to comment on the nature or substance of its discussions.

Cyprus: France

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of France about that government’s actions in (1) the Mediterranean near Cyprus, and (2) the territorial waters of Cyprus and Turkey; and what assessment they have made of the actions of that government in the Mediterranean on peace and stability in the area.

Baroness Sugg: We believe it is critical for stability in the Mediterranean and for the integrity of the rules-based international system that tensions be reduced and disputes are resolved through dialogue and in accordance with international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). We will continue to work with all parties in the region to that end. In addition, the UK is in regular contact with the French Government regarding the ongoing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean: the Foreign Secretary and the Defence Secretary discussed this with their counterparts on 10 September and 21 August respectively. We will continue to engage the French Government via our Embassy in Paris and the UK Delegation to NATO.

Kashmir: Politics and Government

Baroness Tonge: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had (1) with the government of India, and (2) at the UN, about the annexation of Jammu and Kashmir and the revocation of Article 370 of the Constitution of India.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly discuss Kashmir with the Government of India. Most recently, I discussed Kashmir with my Indian counterpart, Vellamvelly Muraleedharan, during my virtual visit to India on 28 July. Members of the UN Security Council discussed Kashmir in a closed session on 5 August.The longstanding position of the UK is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting political resolution on Kashmir, taking into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. We encourage both sides to engage in dialogue and find lasting, diplomatic solutions to maintain regional stability.

Macao: Politics and Government

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, and intend to make, to the government of China about upholding the "one country, two systems" principle, in respect of Macao, in particular regard to maintaining freedom of religion or belief and freedom of speech.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We have no specific plans to raise Macao with the Government of China, but will continue to raise a range of human rights issues with the Chinese authorities, including freedom of religion and belief, media freedom and freedom of speech more broadly. On 8 June and 28 July the Foreign Secretary set out our concerns about Hong Kong and Xinjiang to State Councillor/Minister for Foreign Affairs, Wang Yi.

Migrant Camps: Coronavirus

Baroness Goudie: To ask Her Majesty's Government what stepsthey are taking to support refugees in response to the health and humanitarian situation resulting from COVID-19 in refugee camps.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Refugees and other forcibly displaced people are amongst the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many live in close quarters without access to proper healthcare or shelter, and often in crowded camps where social distancing and regular handwashing are particularly challenging.To date, the UK has committed £774 million in the international fight against COVID-19 and we are using our aid budget and British expertise to slow its spread in the most vulnerable countries. This includes significant support to the UN's refugee agency, UNHCR, and to other partners to address the needs and vulnerabilities of displaced populations. UK aid is supporting our partners to install hand-washing stations and isolation and treatment centres in refugee camps, and helping to provide protection and education services for forcibly displaced children. We are also increasing access to clean water for displaced people living in areas of armed conflict.In addition, we are matching, pound for pound, the first £10 million of public donations to the DEC Coronavirus Appeal, which is providing lifesaving aid to refugees and other displaced people and helping to stop the spread of COVID-19 in camps.

Department for Work and Pensions

Unemployment: Older People

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent long term unemployment among older workers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: We are providing £1.2 billion to enhance work search support service in Great Britain which includes doubling the number of frontline Work Coaches in Jobcentre Plus before the end of the financial year. We are also increasing the flexible support fund which includes extending the Rapid Response Service, tripling the number of Sector Based Work Academy placements in England, and expanding the work and health programme to deliver Job Entry: Targeted Support. Further, the Job finding support service will provide tailored one-to-one job finding support to the recently unemployed. Older claimants will have access to all these programmes to help them with their job search. Jobcentre Plus Older Claimants Champions work with Work Coaches to deliver Jobcentre Plus’ commitment to support older people to find work and stay in work. Champions liaise with employers and providers to promote and raise the profile and benefits of employing older workers. A new programme of support for the long-term unemployed is currently under development by the department. This will be launched in 2021. The department has also been working with employer organisations – including the Chartered Institute of Personal Development, British Chambers of Commerce, The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, Local Enterprise Partnerships and the Government Business Champion for Older Workers – to reach small and medium enterprises by hosting webinars to spread important messages about the need to support their older workers in order to retain them in the workforce and maintain their well-being and productivity.

Kickstart Scheme

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government how they intend to target Kickstart Scheme funding to ensure that (1) there are more places available to regions in England with the highest level of youth unemployment, and (2) places on the scheme are targeted at those most struggling to find work.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The Kickstart Scheme is a national scheme which will be available to young people in all areas of the country. We are working closely with partners to ensure support is in place across the UK, that there is a good fit with other national, local and devolved provision, and that Kickstart helps meet the needs of the local labour market. Job Centre Plus Work Coaches will identify those young people most in need of the extra support offered by the Kickstart scheme and direct them towards these placements.

Kickstart Scheme

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support small businesses whichcannot apply for funds from the Kickstart Scheme to create job placements for young people.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Companies looking to offer roles to fewer than 30 Kickstart applicants are still able to benefit from Kickstart by joining a bid made by an intermediary organisation. Intermediaries can gather employers keen to offer Kickstart jobs to make a collective bid of 30 or more vacancies. Smaller employers will have support from the intermediary to create high quality roles and additional support so that young people get the most out of their placement, this also reduces the administrative burden falling on the small employer. The Department has received significant interest from a wide range of bodies including local authorities, charities and trade/industry bodies looking to become intermediaries. If a small employer is unable to qualify for Kickstart funding, for example because the job is not additional, they can take advantage of a number of other schemes, such as apprenticeships, available to young people. Your local Job Centre Plus is able to recommend the best schemes available in the area.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely perturbation effecton the spread of bovine tuberculosis following the extension of the badger culling programme to Derbyshire, Oxfordshire, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Applicants for a licence to cull badgers to control the spread of bovine TB (bTB) must meet Natural England's strict licensing criteria, which specifically includes measures to guard against the potential risk of perturbation effects as a result of disturbed badger social groups. The independent, peer-reviewed academic study into the effectiveness of badger culling (Downs et al. (2019) Nature Scientific Reports) which showed a decline in bTB incidence in the first two cull areas of Gloucestershire and Somerset, also showed a lack of evidence of a 'perturbation effect' in these areas, unlike the findings of the Randomised Badger Culling Trial, where culling led to an increase in bTB incidence rates outside of cull areas.

National Parks

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for creating new national parks.

Lord Gardiner of Kimble: National Parks play a crucial role in conserving and enhancing the country’s most beautiful and iconic landscapes and also make a significant contribution to nature recovery, sustainable land management, health and well-being and green recovery. The Government commissioned the independent Landscapes Review, led by Julian Glover, as part of the 25 Year Environment Plan, in recognition of the continuing importance of our National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty to the nation. We are now carefully considering its recommendations and will respond in due course.

Home Office

Windrush Generation: Compensation

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much, in total, has been paid to the victims of the Windrush scandal as part of the Windrush Compensation Scheme to date; what proportion of the funds allocated to that scheme thatamount represents; and how many victims have been compensated.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Information on the amount of compensation paid and the number of people compensated under the Windrush Compensation Scheme is available to view on GOV.UK at:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-data-august-2020.Information relating to estimated costs and allocations, including compensation payments, is contained in the Home Office’s Impact Assessment IA No: HO 0329 dated 29/1/20. The Home Office has secured funding from HM Treasury for the scheme, and there is no cap on the amount of compensation an individual can receive.tab WCS-01 (see other tabs WCS-02, WCS-03, WCS-04, WCS-05, WCS-06 and WCS-07 for further information.WCS_01: Number of Windrush Compensation Scheme claims received1-3Back to Contents Quarter/MonthAll claims received All Primary ClaimsAll Estate ClaimsAll Close Family Claims2019 Q252945221562019 Q333628514372019 Q424320511272020 Q116713511212020 Q211787327Jul-20208866517 Windrush Compenstation Scheme Datea - Aug 2020 (xlsx, 121.8KB)

Visas: Married People

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average processing time for spouse visa applications from the United States in each of the last 12 months.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: All priority services were suspended for all application routes as a result of Covid 19 and the closure of application processing centres in the UK and overseas. Priority services will remain suspended until UKVI is able to ensure service standards may be met and that customers receive the services paid for.39 UKVCAS service points are now open the UK and 198 VACs overseas are now open and being managed as part of business as usual.The resumption of priority services remains under review and services will be offered where capacity permits and will be reintroduced on a phased basis. UKVI continues to keep this position under review and will publicise any changes to services on GOV.UK.Information on processing times for visa applications is published as part of the Migration Transparency data, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data .

Visas: Married People

Baroness Neville-Rolfe: To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have suspended priority visa services for spouses; and when they plan to reinstate pre-COVID-19 pandemic arrangements and timescales for such visas.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: All priority services were suspended for all application routes as a result of Covid 19 and the closure of application processing centres in the UK and overseas. Priority services will remain suspended until UKVI is able to ensure service standards may be met and that customers receive the services paid for.39 UKVCAS service points are now open the UK and 198 VACs overseas are now open and being managed as part of business as usual.The resumption of priority services remains under review and services will be offered where capacity permits and will be reintroduced on a phased basis. UKVI continues to keep this position under review and will publicise any changes to services on GOV.UK.Information on processing times for visa applications is published as part of the Migration Transparency data, available at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/migration-transparency-data .

Windrush Generation: Compensation

Lord Oates: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they use the civil test of'the balance of probabilities’ or the criminal law test of ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ toassess claims to the Windrush Compensation Scheme.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Windrush Compensation Scheme awards compensation to individuals according to both actual losses that an individual may have suffered, and tariff-based awards. Where compensation is awarded for actual losses it is right that we seek to obtain an appropriate level of assurance that these losses were incurred, in order to fulfil our duty to properly manage taxpayers’ money.We do not expect those seeking compensation to meet the criminal standard of proof. The Windrush Compensation Scheme rules and caseworker guidance, which set out the criteria by which claims under the scheme are considered, are currently being revised to confirm this. The revised rules and guidance will be published on gov.uk later this month.The current compensation scheme rules are available here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-full-rulesand the current caseworker guidance is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/windrush-compensation-scheme-casework-guidanceWindrush Compensation Scheme Full Rules  (pdf, 393.4KB)Windrush Coimpensation Scheme Casework guidance (pdf, 758.5KB)

Security Guards

Lord Lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment was made of compliance with (1) the Equality Act 2010, and (2) the exemptions under that Act, of the Security Industry Authority’s publication Trans customers: a guide for door supervisors, published in October 2018; and whether under this guidance a door supervisor presented with documentation as evidence of age by a trans customer where the image on such documentation does not match the appearance of that customer must admit such a customer.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Security Industry Authority (SIA) publication ‘Trans Customers: A Guide for Door Supervisors’ reflects the Government Equalities Office’ guidance ‘Providing Services for Trans Customers’. The SIA’s guide was reviewed by the Government Equalities Office prior to its publication in 2018.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Private Rented Housing: Coronavirus

Baroness Grender: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of private rented sector tenants who are in arrears due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will be subject to a section 21 or a section 8 notice eviction under the Housing Act 1988 issued after 26 March and before the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Residential Tenancies: Protection from Eviction) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI2020/914) came into effect on 28 August.

Baroness Grender: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the numbers of tenants served notice between 26 March and 28 August whose evictions will proceed after 20 September, following the commencement of the Coronavirus Act 2020 (Residential Tenancies: Protection from Eviction) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020 (2020/914).

Lord Greenhalgh: The Government has established an unprecedented package of support to protect renters throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.When courts resume possession hearings they will prioritise the most egregious cases, ensuring landlords are able to progress cases such as those involving anti-social behaviour and other?serious issues.The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Residential Tenancies: Protection from Eviction) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2020 came into force on 29 August 2020. They extended emergency measures in the Coronavirus Act 2020, meaning that from 29 August landlords are required to provide longer notice periods of six months when seeking possession of residential property, in all but the most egregious cases. These new requirements only apply to notices served after the 29 August.

Religion: Coronavirus

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government what action they are taking to support religious and minority belief communities which have been negatively affected by COVID-19.

Lord Greenhalgh: In May we launched a Places of Worship Taskforce, chaired by the Secretary of State and the Faith Minister. The Taskforce covered a wide variety of issues relating to Covid-19 and plans to safely reopen places of worship. Since 4 July, places of worship have been able to reopen for communal worship with Covid-Secure measures.Ministers and officials have continued to engage widely with faith and belief leaders on a range of issues, including preparations for religious festivals. In addition, we appointed FaithAction to support smaller faith groups and denominations through the pandemic.Faith and belief organisations have been able to access a range of government-backed financial support measures. Including the Coronavirus Community Support Fund which helped organisations providing essential services to vulnerable people affected by the current crisis.

Homelessness: Coronavirus

Baroness Grender: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment has been made, if any, of the possible impacts of the Civil Procedure (Amendment No.4) (Coronavirus) Rules 2020 (SI 2020/751) on the duties of local authorities under the Homelessness Reduction Act 2017.

Lord Greenhalgh: The Homelessness Reduction Act 2017 is the most ambitious reform to homelessness legislation in decades. It placed new duties on local housing authorities to take reasonable steps to try to prevent and relieve a person’s homelessness. These duties have not been amended by the Civil Procedure Rules.Local authorities must work with people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness within 56 days to develop personalised housing plans, tailored to focus on the needs and circumstances of the household. They must do so irrespective of whether they are a family or single person or the reason they are at risk.Local authorities also have a duty to provide or secure the provision of advice and information about homelessness and the prevention of homelessness, free of charge to any person in their district.

Domestic Abuse: Temporary Accommodation

Lord Pendry: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are takingtoallocate extra resources for the safe accommodation of victims of domestic abuse.

Lord Greenhalgh: My Department’s priority remains for refuges to remain open so that victims of domestic abuse and their children can access support and safe accommodation when they need it.In May, we launched a £10 million Emergency Support Fund for charities providing safe accommodation for victims of domestic abuse. Funding has been allocated to 147 successful charity bids, supporting 166 organisations providing 1890 bed spaces. This funding is ensuring that more victims can access life-saving support during the pandemic.

Coronavirus: Enforcement

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of (1) how many COVID-19 Secure Marshals they expect to be operating in England by 1 November,(2) how much they will cost, and (3) how they will be funded.

Lord Greenhalgh: We are encouraging the introduction of COVID-Secure Marshals to help support our high streets and public spaces. We will be setting out further details in due course.The Government has provided local authorities with £3.7 billion in?un-ringfenced?funding to support them in responding to the pandemic, as well as further funding for adult social care and to support local outbreak planning. We will continue to work closely with councils, and?any local authority concerned about its financial position should contact MHCLG.

Cabinet Office

Death: Registration

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many deaths were recorded in each calendar month of (1) 2018, (2) 2019, and (3) 2020, up to and including August.

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many recorded deaths were caused by (1) COVID-19, and (2) any form of cancer, in each calendar month of (a) 2018, (b) 2019, and (c) 2020, up to and including August.

Lord True: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond. Dear Lord Warner,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many deaths were recorded in each calendar month of (1) 2018, (2) 2019, and (3) 2020, up to and including August (HL7905); and how many recorded deaths were caused by (1) COVID-19, and (2) any form of cancer, in each calendar month of (a) 2018, (b) 2019, and (c) 2020, up to and including August (HL7906).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes statistics on deaths in England and Wales. The ONS’ mortality statistics are compiled from information supplied when deaths are certified and registered as part of civil registration. In England and Wales, deaths should ideally be registered within 5 days of the death occurring, but there are some situations that result in the registration of the death being delayed. The ONS has published a report on the impact of registration delays[1].The ONS produces a monthly report[2] on provisional deaths in England and Wales. The most recent report goes up to July 2020 and provides breakdowns by all deaths combined and a breakdown for deaths due to COVID-19. The ONS also produces an annual report[3] which includes registered deaths by age, sex, selected underlying causes of death, and the leading causes of death.National Records for Scotland[4] and the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency[5] are responsible for publishing statistics on deaths registered in Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.Table 1 shows the number of deaths by all causes, that were registered by month, in 2018, 2019, and 2020, in England and Wales. All numbers for 2020 are provisional. The data for August will be published on 18 September 2020, which we will send to you.Table 2 shows the number of deaths that were registered where cancer was the underlying cause of death by month, 2018 and 2019, in England and Wales. The corresponding numbers by month for 2020 are not yet available, as detailed data on deaths by underlying cause are not normally published until after the end of the registration year.Table 3 shows the number of deaths where COVID-19 was the underlying cause of death, January to July 2020, in England and Wales. Provisional data on deaths involving COVID-19 is being published, exceptionally, on an ongoing basis throughout the year: numbers of deaths due to COVID-19 in August will be available on 18 September 2020, which we will also send to you.Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/articles/impactofregistrationdelaysonmortalitystatisticsinenglandandwales/2018[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/weekending28august2020[3]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregistrationsummarytables/2019[4]https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/[5]https://www.nisra.gov.uk/Table 1: Number of deaths registered in 2018, 2019, 2020 by month, all causes, England and Wales[1][2][3][4] 201820192020January641545391056,597February491774579543,555March512294394449,641April464694412188,049May427844438952,315June397673860342,577July407234230840,731August4019238843September3713740011October4444046238November4397845219December4153947460 [1]Figures include deaths of non-residents.[2]Figures are for the date a death was registered rather than occurred.[3]2020 figures are provisional.[4]2020 figures are as published, the back series has not been revised.Source: ONSTable 2: Number of deaths registered where the underlying cause of death was cancer, 2018 and 2019, by month, England and Wales[1][2][3][4] 20182019January1442213859February1160211667March1194511659April1189912261May1237212425June1177111284July1212012838August1229711959September1111512107October1300812977November1239412197December1141212186[1]Underlying cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th edition (ICD-10): Malignant neoplasms (C00-C97).[2]Figures for Cancer include deaths of non-residents.[3]2020 figures are provisional[4]Figures are for the date a death was registered rather than occurred.Source: ONS Table 3: Number of deaths registered where the underlying cause of death was COVID-19, 2020, by month, England and Wales[1][2][3][4][5] 2020January0February0March1631April29381May12005June3634July1023AugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember[1]Underlying cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th edition (ICD-10): coronavirus (COVID-19) (U07.1 and U07.2).[2]Figures for COVID-19 exclude the deaths of non-residents.[3]2020 figures are provisional[41]Figures are for the date a death was registered rather than occurred.[5]2020 figures are as published, the back series has not been revisedSource: ONS

Care Homes and Hospitals: Death

Lord Warner: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many recorded deaths were (1) residents of adult care homes, and (2) patients in NHS England hospitals, in each calendar month of 2020, up to and including August.

Lord True: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.Dear Lord Warner,As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many recorded deaths were (i) residents of adult care homes, and (ii) patients in NHS England hospitals, in each calendar month of 2020, up to and including August (HL7908).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for publishing mortality statistics for deaths registered in England and Wales. The most recent annual figures published are for deaths registered in 2019[1]. However, we do publish provisional weekly deaths registrations which are currently published for deaths registered up to 28 August 2020[2]. As part of this report, data is published by place of occurrence, which includes hospitals and places outside of hospitals, such as care homes.Table 1 below provides the provisional number of deaths registered in care homes and hospitals by each calendar month of 2020, registered up to 28 August 2020, in England. The ‘Hospitals (acute or community, not psychiatric)’ figure includes deaths in NHS hospitals and private hospitals in England. Currently, the ONS does not publish age breakdowns of deaths registered in care homes. The figure includes children and adults, as some care homes may cater for adults as well as children. More detailed analysis on deaths, registered by place of occurrence, is available in our weekly report.Table 1: Provisional number of deaths registered by place of occurrence, England, deaths registered between 1 January 2020 and 28 August 2020[3][4][5][6][7]MonthPlace of occurrenceCare homeHospital  (acute or community, not psychiatric)January12,04624,615February9,23118,229March10,56320,902April26,83534,520May14,87018,126June8,57915,191July7,68414,528August7,15113,362Source: ONS Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond[1]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregistrationsummarytables/2019[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest[3]Based on date a death was registered rather than occurred.[4]All figures for 2020 are provisional.[5]Non-residents are excluded in the England totals.[6]These figures represent death registrations, there can be a delay between the date a death occurred and the date a death was registered. More information can be found in our impact of registration delays release. [7]Care homes includes homes for the chronic sick; nursing homes; homes for people with mental health problems and non-NHS multi function sites.

Coronavirus: Public Inquiries

Lord Truscott: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish an independent public inquiry into their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic; and, if so, when such an inquiry will take place.

Lord True: As the Government has already made clear that there will be opportunities to look back, analyse and reflect on all aspects of COVID-19. The Prime Minister has said that this will include an independent inquiry at the appropriate time. For now the Government is focused entirely on responding to the pandemic and saving lives. Further details will be set out in due course and announced in the usual way.

Home Office: Bullying

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they havereceived the report of the investigation into allegations of bullying of officials by the Home Secretary; and when that report will be published.

Lord True: To protect the interests of all involved the Government does not comment on the specifics of ongoing process.The Prime Minister will make any decision on the matter public once the process has concluded.

Subversion

Lord Strasburger: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byLord True on 11 August (HL7558), how the reference to the answers by Lord True on 3 August to the Questions for Written Answer by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (HL7209 and HL7179) relates to the question put; and whether they will now answer the question put, namely what assessment they have made of the role of other states in national referendums in the UK in the last 10 years; if they have not made any such assessment, whether they plan to do so; if not, why not; whether they have (1) investigated, and (2) sought evidence on, the incidence of interference in the EU referendum by any hostile state; if not, why not; and what priority they give to any such investigations.

Lord Strasburger: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 11 August (HL7557), how the reference to the answers by Lord True on 3 August to the Questions for Written Answer by Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (HL7209 and HL7179) relates to the question put; and whether they will now answer the question put, namely what assessment they have made of the report by Robert Mueller Report On The Investigation Into Russian Interference In The 2016 Presidential Election, published in March 2019, in particular the conclusions on Russian interference; whether they plan to conduct a similar inquiry in relation to the conduct of the EU referendum in 2016; if not, why not; and why they have not yet conducted such an inquiry.

Lord True: We have seen no evidence of successful interference in the EU Referendum or 2014 Scottish Referendum by any state. The Intelligence and Security Agencies produce and contribute to regular assessments of the threat posed by Hostile State Activity, including potential interference in UK democratic processes. We keep such assessments under review and, where necessary, update them in response to new intelligence. Where new information emerges, the Government will always consider the most appropriate use of any intelligence it develops or receives, including whether it is appropriate to make this public. Given this long standing approach, there are no plans to publish a retrospective assessment on the EU Referendum.To continue to safeguard against future threats we are bringing forward new legislation to provide the security services and law enforcement agencies with additional tools and powers to disrupt hostile state activity.The Government's 2019 manifesto states: "we will protect the integrity of our democracy”. As part of this, we will introduce a digital imprints regime and in August 2020 we launched a technical consultation on our proposed regime. These proposals represent a significant step forward and will make UK politics even more transparent.

Department for International Trade

Trade Agreements: Human Rights

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progressthey have made in developing a cross-departmental human rights threshold for inclusion in any (1) current and forthcoming trade and telecommunications agreements, and (2) other legislation.

Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: HM Government has a strong history of promoting our values globally. While our approach to agreements will vary between partners, our strong economic relationships allow us to have open discussions on a range of difficult issues, including rights and responsibilities.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

ARM

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to instruct the Competition and Markets Authority to review NVIDIA's acquisition of Arm.

Lord Myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will require NVIDIA to grant them the same powers that will be held by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States in connection with the future ownership of Arm if that company is acquired by NVIDIA.

Baroness Barran: The Enterprise Act 2002 allows the government to call in transactions. We will consider if and when it would be appropriate to do so.We will be scrutinising the deal carefully to understand its impact on the UK.